The literature is replete with cleaning tools used in combination with a disposable cleaning substrate in order to clean surfaces such as ceramic tile floors, hardwood floors, counter tops, rugs, carpets, upholstery and the like. These cleaning tools typically include a handle connected to a support head. The support head of modern cleaning tools include a top piece having a rectangular shape and which is connected to the lower end of a handle, and a compressible lower piece attached to the bottom of the top piece. This compressible lower piece is in direct contact with the disposable substrate during the cleaning operation. The cleaning substrate can be in the form of a sheet or pad which can include a nonwoven material and which can be either dry or premoistened with a cleaning composition. The compressible portion can be made of a substantially non-absorbent synthetic material. The top piece is typically made of a plastic including a dye, which provides a uniform color to the plastic. The top piece of the cleaning implement is opaque in the sense that a user cannot see the compressible portion located underneath the rigid portion. The top piece of these cleaning implement also has a substantially constant thickness. As a user uses the handle to move the support head to clean a surface in the direction he or she wishes, the user sees the support head from varying angles during the cleaning operation. The top piece of these cleaning implements can have a relatively “blend” appearance in the sense that the visual impression they provide to the user does not vary depending on the angle a user looks at the top piece.
In order to make the cleaning operation more “fun” or enjoyable for the user, it is one object of the invention to provide a support head whose appearance or visual impression changes during the cleaning operation.
The compressible lower piece of the support head is typically larger in width and/or length than the top piece in order to prevent the top piece from accidentally getting in contact with and potentially damaging the surface being cleaned. These implements allow the user to safely wipe the surface being cleaned with a cleaning substrate pressed against the surface being cleaned by the compressible lower piece while being attached to the support head. More functional cleaning substrates described in patent application Ser. No. 10/958,791 and Ser. No. 10/958,852 both to Pung et al., filed Oct. 8, 2004, and assigned to The Procter & Gamble Company, allow a user not only to clean a surface with the side of the cleaning substrate that is pressed against the surface being cleaned by the bottom compressible portion, but also to use the portion of the substrate adjacent to the top piece by rotating or flipping the support head. As the top piece of the support head is used to press the substrate against a surface to be cleaned, the hardness of the support plate may result in accidental damage to the surface being cleaned. In addition, in the event the surface being cleaned is not substantially flat (i.e. includes bumps, grooves, grout lines and the likes) the top piece cannot conform to the surface or topography variations found in the surface being cleaned.
It is therefore another object of the invention to provide a support head allowing a user to use the portions of the cleaning substrate that are adjacent either to the bottom or top surface of the support head.
The handle of modern cleaning implement is typically connected to the support head via a universal joint. The universal joint can include at least one but preferably two rotational axis allowing the support head to swivel during use. The universal joint can include a yoke portion whose lower end is rotatably connected to the support head directly or indirectly. The yoke portion can be made of plastic. The upper end of the yoke can be connected to the lower end of a handle. The handle can be made of any suitable material, for example metal or plastic that is capable of enduring the force applied by a user during the cleaning operation. Although plastic materials are know that are “strong” or sturdy enough to endure the forces applied by a user, it is found that users do not generally perceive handles made of plastic as being as strong as handles made for example of aluminum. It is also found that the cleaning efficacy of a cleaning implement is at least partially related to the amount of force that is applied by the user during the cleaning operation and that the cleaning efficacy of the implement is increased when a greater amount of force is applied by a user during cleaning. As a result of the user's “negative” perception of a cleaning implement whose yoke and/or handle is made of plastic, he or she may not apply as much force as he or she would apply if the yoke and handle were both made of metal.
It is therefore another object of the invention to provide a cleaning implement whose yoke and/or handle is made of a plastic material while improving the user's perception as to the yoke/handle assembly strength or sturdiness.
Modern cleaning implements can include a hand-grip portion whose lower end is connected to the upper end of the handle. This hand-grip allows a user to grab and maneuver the implement. As the handle is rotatably connected to the support head, the hand-grip may bump against a wall if the user accidentally releases the hand-grip. The upper or proximal end of the hand-grip may damage a wall in particular a wall covered with paint and/or made of dry wall, when it is accidentally released by the user and falls towards the wall.
It is therefore another object of the invention to provide a hand-grip capable of to minimizing potential damage to a wall if the hand-grip is accidentally released by a user.